


We'll Defy The Stars

by kurisuo



Category: Joker Game (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Historical Inaccuracy, M/M, Semi-Canon Compliant, and i'm being generous with the semi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:41:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kurisuo/pseuds/kurisuo
Summary: Satoshi Sakuma. A seemingly simple farm boy who graduated from a decent military academy at the top of his class. He is assigned to work in Tokyo at the Imperial Army General Staff Office and quickly gains the favor and trust of his superior officers. How could he not? He is fair, honest, and passionate in all the right ways, but above all, he obeys without question. Satoshi is the perfect soldier, and for two honest liars who shouldn’t have made it past birth, he is the perfect mask. A mask that could fall apart at any moment, especially when they meet a demon king and his eight monsters.
Relationships: Miyoshi/Sakuma (Joker Game), Odagiri/Sakuma (Joker Game)
Kudos: 5





	1. Birthnight

“It’s a boy!” the midwife cried as she lifted the baby towards his mother. However, the mother instructed her to give the baby for the father to hold instead, all while wearing a pained expression on her face. 

“It’s not over yet,” she whispered. The midwife was shocked, but one barked order from the father had her rushing to help the mother once more. This delivery was so much easier than the first, which had lasted a good 4 hours or so. The midwife held the second baby and announced that it was a boy as well, though with much less enthusiasm than she had the first time. She looked at the couple expectantly. 

The father was trying his best not to panic. His wife had given birth to twin boys. They both seemed healthy, but that was the least of his concerns. He had two sons and while that would normally be a blessing, this was different.  _ Twins _ were different. 

Twins were a curse. For a woman to give birth to more than one child at a time was a shameful act, for it made her no better than a beast. And childbirth one time was already a risky and terrifying ordeal, and though it was worth the pain for a beautiful child, to go through it twice in a row was unbearable for many expectant mothers to think about. 

Twins were an abomination. It was unnatural for two babies to come out from the same womb on the same day from the same mother. They were the work of demons, who aimed to trick families by disguising themselves as their baby. And they had no way to know which one of them was real and which one was a lie. Usually, it’s the first born twin. Only they would be selfish enough to push their sibling out of the way to leave the womb, no doubt in a hurry to wreak havoc and destruction on the world. 

And because the first born twin was usually the evil one, any family with the sense to fear the wrath of the gods would have gotten rid of them. The unpleasant task would have been left up to the midwife. Of course, the mother could not find out, because the shame from it would be too much for her to bear.

But the Sakumas were no normal family. 

Their midwife was strongly considering taking the baby from the father’s arms and disposing of him quickly. But when she moved to do so, he suddenly called in servants to take the second baby away from her and restrain her. 

“But sir! Why?” She struggled against the house servants, but they were too strong. “We have to get rid of it! It’s bad luck and it’ll bring shame on Lady Nakano!”

“But she already knows,” the father, Akitomo Sakuma, pointed out. He had no reason to humor her, but he wanted to make her see the errors in her logic at least.

“All the more reason to kill it then! Once it’s dead the Lady’s honor will be restored!”

“I will not let you lay a single finger on my sons. Twins or not they are still babies. My babies. And it’s not your place to tell us what we should or shouldn’t do with them.” Akitomo carefully handed off the first son to a servant and whispered an order in her ear. The servant’s eyes widened in shock and she hurried off to do what her boss had asked of her, crying baby in tow.

“Have you lost your mind? It’s a demon! A monster! If you let it live you’ll be dooming us all!” The midwife managed to free herself and foolishly rushed towards Akitomo, but the servants got a hold of her again and yanked her back. She scowled at everyone in the room, and startled when she laid eyes on the second twin.  
“Perhaps it’s the second one who needs to die. After all, you were only expecting one child, and this other one comes in without warning. How rude of it!” She smirked at Akimoto. “I’ll gladly forgive you for this and I’ll even keep this secret so that the Lady’s and this family’s honor don’t suffer for it. But that’s only if you agree that we need to get rid of this thing. Either one works, so long as only one remains. First or second? Doesn’t matter. The world will never know.” 

Most of the servants looked disgusted, but a few seemed thoughtful, like they actually agreed with the midwife’s sentiments. At this moment, Akimoto realized something that would forever change his life, and perhaps the world as well. 

He loved both his sons. They were only a few minutes old, but he loved them with his whole being, and one quick glance let him know that his wife and soulmate felt the same way. He could not let this midwife roam free and spread the word of his twins’ existence. Same went for those servants who agreed with her. 

He would not let her near either of his sons nor would he let her make their lives difficult by ratting them out. He hated it, but he really had no choice if he really wanted to protect his family. 

The servant he had sent away earlier knocked on the labor room’s door to announce her presence, then let herself in. In her arms was the first son, who was now sound asleep, and behind her were the guards of the house. 

Akitomo did a quick headcount of everyone present. He had 2 servants restraining the midwife, while 2 attended his wife and 3 others stood to the side, one of them holding his second son. So 7 in total, not including the most important servant of all, the housekeeper, who was the one currently holding his son. Then there were the guards she brought in; there were only 3, but it was enough.

Of those 7 servants, there were 2 he could not trust: one who was restraining the midwife, and one who was standing by. They seemed like they agreed with the midwife’s insistence on killing one of the twins. It was a shame, but he would have to get rid of them.

His only option was to kill them. He ordered one of the guards to restrain the servant off to the side, while another one was sent to the servant who held onto the midwife, which had startled her greatly. The third was sent to replace her as one of the two people keeping the midwife under control. The servants were understandably horrified, but they did not beg for mercy. Instead, they cursed Akitomo for refusing to rid the world of the evil that resided in one or even both of the twins. 

“Silence!” Nakano Sakuma shouted. She was certainly a terrifying sight, all the servants thought, with her disheveled hair, flushed face, and a glare that could scare even the most hardened soldier. Even the guards looked a little afraid, but if nothing else they were in awe of the woman they were serving. “Tonight was supposed to be a happy occasion for me. I just went through hours of intense labor, and at any point I or my children could have died. But thank the gods the three of us made it out alive.

By the way, I am quite grateful for your help, Yumiru Kamoshida. My sons and I might not have survived tonight if not for your excellent work. You came to us so highly recommended! But I’m afraid this is the last delivery you will ever make in your career.” Nakano smiled at her coldly before turning to the 2 apprehended servants. 

“As for you two, you should be ashamed of yourselves. Did you really think I’d let you get away with insulting my children in my presence! How dare you call for the deaths of my babies? How dare you?” She was furious, if her reddening face and cracked voice were any indication. Akitomo fell in love with her all over again. Her fierceness in protecting their sons even when she was still exhausted from labor was beautiful. And now he had his wife’s indirect approval for what he was about to do. 

“Guards! Take them into the forest and  _ get rid of them _ .” The three guards and one servant nodded and left to follow their orders, the traiterous servants and midwife screaming bloody murder the whole way. 

Akitomo had the housekeeper hand off the first son to Nakano while he took the second into his arms. He rocked the baby for a bit, showering him with the best fatherly affection he could give. His wife was hugging the other son close, bawling her eyes out as she kissed the baby tenderly. The other servants, including the housekeeper, left the room to give them privacy, and they all privately agreed they would remain loyal to the couple. They’d never witnessed such a protective display of parenting before, and for that they knew they wanted to serve the man who’d taken a risk and had anyone wanting to kill his sons disposed of. He had their utmost respect for this.

The guards dragged the three traitors deep into the forest outside the Sakuma estate, and handed one of them a sword. “If you have any honor left, you know what you need to do.” The servant cried as she took her own life, and the second who followed her cried as well, both praying to the gods to forgive them their dishonorable betrayal. The midwife, however, refused to commit the deed. She was genuinely unashamed of everything that had brought her to this point. One of the guards tried to convince her, but failed miserably. 

In the end, they had to kill her themselves. “You’re making a mistake! You will all see in time. I guarantee you will all regret not killing one or both of those creatures one day. Mark my words!” She cackled maniacally as a guard sliced through her stomach with a katana. He placed the handle in her hands so that anyone who stumbled across the bodies would think all three women committed suicide. And he had worn gloves to make sure his fingerprints wouldn’t show up, as per the orders passed on to him by the housekeeper. The three guards arranged the bodies to make it look like a realistic group harakiri and walked back to the estate. They were a little uneasy about what they’ve done, but they trusted Akitomo Sakuma enough to not second-guess their actions.

Back in the delivery room, Akitomo had the babies taken to the room he had prepared for only one child, under the care of the housekeeper, Kaori Okumara. She’s served their family since he was a young boy, so he knew he could count on her to take care of his sons properly while he had a talk with his wife. He asked the servants and guards to inform the rest of the estate staff of what had occurred, and to ensure that they would keep this a secret. Any who didn’t would be brought out to the courtyard so that he could try to turn their opinion around; if not, he’d order their execution. 

It was cruel and unfair, but the usually logical man had his priorities changed. His family’s safety came above all else, and if he had to take lives to secure it, then so be it. 

He climbed on to the bed so that he could cuddle Nakano while she lay on her back. She gazed at the ceiling, almost unblinking, and he worried for her. Tonight had not treated her too well, but he needed to discuss something with her as soon as possible, and he knew she was still able to carry a conversation even in her fragile state. 

They lay in silence for a while until Nakano finally spoke. “We can’t keep them both, can we?” It was more of a statement than a question. 

“No, we can’t. Sure, we could keep them both isolated here in the estate and no one would ever know, but that wouldn’t be fair to them. They deserve something better than that.”

She exhaled heavily. How I wish I could have both boys with us, but it’s not possible. People in town already knew she had been expecting, and they already knew she had hired Yumiru Kamoshida as the midwife. That woman’s death had been the best solution to ensure that word of her twins would not get out, but it also put them in a difficult position. 

Akitomo briefly considered faking his sons’ deaths, and he could use that to justify the staged group suicide to the military police, but truth be told, he wanted his sons to be out and about in the world. He wanted to live free and happy lives, not locked up in the family estate to live out their lives in fear and loneliness. There was a solution he’d read about long ago, where families would give away one of the twins for someone else to raise, and indeed it did ensure the survival of both. But that didn’t make it any less painful.

The couple knew without verbalizing it that this was their best option. But there was the issue of which twin to keep and which one to give to another family. And who could they entrust to take care of their son and treat him well? 

He could think of one person, and he also knew they’d keep the second son and send the first one away. It normally would not have mattered which one they sent, but it was important to consider the order they’d been born in. Patriarchal values dictated he keep the firstborn and send the second one away. He probably should. And yet, he felt it would be right to send the first one away. He was not one to listen to mere gut feelings often, but this felt like something a father would be sure about. 

“You know,” Akitomi kept his voice level, “my brother and his wife are unable to bear children.” He shot Nakano a pointed look, and she kept her focus on the ceiling. “Chikashi’s great with kids, and even more open-minded than I am. Plus, he’s always been trustworthy, so I know he will never reveal our son’s true background.”

“Haruka’s a lovely woman. I’ve seen her care for other people’s children before, and she does it well.” Nakano sighed. She hated what they had to do, but if she had to entrust one of her sons to anyone, it had to be her brother-in-law and his wife. “But are you sure they’d be willing to?”

“I’ll write to him. Besides, we don’t have to do this right away. You are supposed to breastfeed them for at least 6 months, after all.”

“Sounds like you’ve been paying attention to Kaori’s lectures,” Nakano chuckled. “It’s 6 months on breastmilk alone, and after I’d combine breastfeeding with solid food for 2 years.”

“Two years is a little risky…”

She frowned. “I guess you’re right.” She sat up, and Akitomo rushed to fluff up the pillows and help her get comfortable. “We’re keeping both for a year at least before we have to move one of them, okay?” 

Akitomo could tell she would not budge from this. “Yes, that’s fine. We can be reclusive for a year, and be even more selective than usual on who we invite to the estate. I’ll extend my break to a full year to help you care for both of them.” He kissed her cheek and grinned when she leaned into it. “I’ll go get that letter started. If Chikashi can’t take them, he’ll at least keep quiet, and maybe he’ll even help me find another trustworthy family.”

“Sounds good,” and Nakano dozed off. Akitomo fixed her position into a proper one for sleeping and set out towards his study.

* * *

_ Dearest Chikashi,  _

_ I hope this letter finds you well. As I’m writing, I can proudly say that I’m now a father! I was scared out of my mind when Nakano was giving birth, since in total it took a little over 4 hours. I don’t think your birth nor mine took so long, but I’ll have to check with Mother. _

_ There were a few complications, but those were easily taken care of. However, there is one serious issue that came up, and I would be forever in your debt if you could help me. I invite you and Haruka to come visit us at the estate, so that we could safely discuss this matter in person. I was terrified at first, but this issue is more of a blessing than a curse. I promise this is something that could bring you happiness, too.  _

_ I eagerly await your response. _

_ Your elder brother,  _

_ Akitomo _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! I have yet another Joker Game fanfic to share with y’all. For once, the plot will be original and not stolen from a drama or another anime. It’s been a while since I’ve written something with an original storyline, so this will certainly be exciting. Ever since I came up with this concept, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I just had to write it out. There’s a lot of details I have to work out still, so this is all I’m publishing for the time being lol
> 
> Nakano may seem a little too calm about giving up one of her sons, and she should be angrier considering she indirectly helped kill 3 women who threatened her babies… But, first, she’s tired. Labor took a lot of energy out of her and the fatigue just hit. Second, next chapter will have more drama regarding what will be done with the babies so hopefully by then I’ll see if I can write the parents out better. 
> 
> Please let me know what you guys think so far! Comments would be much appreciated hehe


	2. The Boys (Part 1)

A month after Akitomo sent the letter out, Chikashi Sakuma and his wife Haruka visited Akitomo’s estate, where they learned all the details about the Sakuma twins’ birth. They were understandably shocked and horrified to learn what Akitomo had done to save his sons’ loves, but that did not dissuade them from adopting Akitomo’s first born son. They came to an agreement where the baby would be registered as Chikashi’s son, but would remain with Akitomo and Nakano for two years so that she could properly care for him as his birth mother. 

The couples had a heavy discussion regarding the names, in which they agreed that each couple would name their respective baby. Chikashi and Haruka decided to name the first twin Hitoshi. Akitomo and Nakano named the second twin Toshio. Of course, the similarity was a little distressing, but in the end, they all agreed that these were the best fitting names for the boys. It would not be too suspicious since Chikashi and Haruka lived a considerable distance from Akitomo’s estate in Tokyo; they resided in the nearby city of Yokohama. No one would ever see the two boys at the same time anyway, much less figure out the connection between their too-similar names. 

When the time came for Hitoshi to live with Chikashi and Haruka… Well, Nakano was distraught to say the least. The night before, she held Hitoshi and Toshio tight. “Be good for your aunt and uncle, Hitoshi,” she had whispered to him. She showered him with all the love she could because she knew that once he was gone, she might never see him again. It was a heartache she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy. 

Akitomo, for his part, was equally upset, but he knew it was the right thing for his son. Once he was with his new family, he’d be loved and cherished like he was their own. He could trust his brother and sister-in-law to take excellent care of Hitoshi and keep him safe. With the twins separated, they’d be able to live their own happy lives, and the world will be none the wiser. 

Hitoshi grew up well with Chikashi and Haruka. Since they were unable to have children of their own, Hitoshi was a blessing from the gods, and from Akitomo and Nakano. They loved him, adored him even. Chikashi taught him how to fight with a katano, and although Hitoshi’s skills were average at best, he made sure the boy never felt inadequate because of it. “I suppose it’s just not for everyone. Don’t worry, my older brother wasn’t much of a fighter, either.” And they would laugh, and Hitoshi would curiously ask about the uncle he never met. But all parents had agreed that the less the boys knew, the better, and over the years, Chikashi mentioned his brother less and less whenever Hitoshi was present.

Hitoshi may not have been too skilled with a blade, but he still loved running around in the fields outside Chikashi’s estate. He loved going into town with his mother, and he was always well-behaved enough to earn a reward. He always asked for books. He could read through them faster than anything, and Haruka absolutely adored this trait of his, since she herself came from a family of humble scholars. She bought him any book he wanted, and even went as far as to hire a few private tutors so he could learn to read foreign literature as well. Her inheritance as the sole surviving child of her wealthy merchant father, which Chikashi was granted the legal right to run as her husband, allowed them to give Hitoshi an easy life, though they made sure to instill humility and practicality into him as well. 

Toshio, on the other hand, was raised by Akitomo and Nakano. Akitomo was a highly-skilled swordsmith, and he tried to teach Toshio for when he would take over the business, as per tradition. However, Toshio turned out to not be very good at it, and that was being generous. He knew about forging swords in theory, but he was always too afraid to get close to the fire they’d use. It was humiliating, but his father would reassure him and promise that he didn’t have to worry about carrying on this tradition. “I could always pass it on to someone outside the family if need be. Don’t pressure yourself into learning this if you really don’t want to.” 

Toshio may have been too scared to try his hand at swordsmithing, but he still loved swords themselves. One day, Nakano had walked in on him playing with a katana and freaked out, but she soon realized that Toshio was a natural at blade techniques such as kenjutsu. “Just like my little brother,” Akitomo had laughed, and he marveled at the irony of the situation. Chikashi would send updates on Hitoshio, and in one letter, he’d said that Hitoshi was average at martial arts, but he was still interested in the process of making blades. He would sometimes wonder if the babies should have been given to the opposite parents, but it was too late to worry about it now.

Toshio also had a love for calligraphy and painting, and when he wasn’t busy playing with swords, he’d play with paint instead. Both his and Hitoshi’s skills were a testament to the Sakuma clan’s once powerful status as samurai, and even after the Meiji Restoration, this particular clan was able to regain their wealth fairly quickly. Akitomo maintained his wealth by forging swords for high ranking military officials, and Chikashi maintained his through his wife’s family’s business. Thus, both sons enjoyed a lot of financial privilege on top of having such kind and loving parents, though they would sometimes get a nagging feeling that they were missing something in their lives, which they tried to ignore in the midst of such happy childhoods.

Hitoshi’s literature tutors taught him how to speak the English language fluently, and he picked up on some solid French and Russian as well. He would also practice with a local British admiral who had settled in Yokohama with his Japanese wife, and his English soon developed into that of a London native. Even if he was a little behind in terms of slang, he still had the feel of the language down perfectly.

Toshio, meanwhile, occasionally went with his parents to take part in high-society parties, and although he mostly hated them, he did like meeting kids from different countries. Through these interactions, he eventually learned American English, becoming fluent enough that some even thought he was a Japanese-American from San Francisco. He managed to learn some basic German as well, but it was a far trickier language than he was comfortable with. 

In the summer of 1928, tragedy struck. Disease ravaged the area surrounding Yokohama and the wealthy were not exempt from the bloody coughs and high fevers plaguing the people. Hitoshi had volunteered for the army’s 2-year training and was sent to a base far away enough to avoid the illness, but his parents were not as lucky. The disease claimed their lives as well as many of their estate’s staff, and throughout the prefecture, the death toll continued to rise to staggering numbers until a treatment was found a year later.

The aftermath of his parents’ deaths was a nightmare for Hitoshi. His mother’s business was returned to her family, though the house remained under Hitoshi’s property since it originally belonged to his father. In the eyes of the law, he was still not quite an adult, and the law dictated that he have a guardian to look after him. His mother’s side wanted nothing to do with him, and so custody of the boy was granted to his father’s brother, the uncle he’d always been so reluctant to mention around him.

When 17-year-old Hitoshi arrived at his uncle's estate in the winter of 1928, he brought carts full of his belongings with him and a grieving heart. Time may never heal the pain that had taken hold of his heart, but at the very least, he had relatives who were close enough to his parents that he could feel safe in their care at least. Little did he know that meeting these relatives would uncover a plethora of secrets that were probably better off unknown, secrets that would become both his greatest happiness, and his greatest pain. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so, I may have lied. I really wanted to write the scene where Chikashi and Haruka agree to take one of the babies in but like… I got stuck. I opened up a new doc and started writing out how it would go in theory and this was the result lol. This is more of a background info chapter tbh... but for what it is, I think it’s acceptable. I really do want to incorporate that scene somehow, but I suppose it’ll simply have to wait.
> 
> As I did some research for this fic, I realized there was a lot I would have to change so that I’m not TOO inaccurate, but there are plenty of other details I’ll take creative liberty with. There’s also plot holes and inconsistencies I have to fix, but I’m trying to work as fast as I can so I can get to the real story I want to write. I am just in love with the idea of Sakuma being two identical yet different people, and I’m trying to be careful so that the story comes out the way I imagined. If I can get it right, it’ll be a lot of fun for sure!
> 
> Also, I wasn’t too sure about how I’d title this chapter, but as I was writing, “The Boys” by SNSD came on, so that’s what I went with lmao. It gets a little more Hitoshi-centric at the end but I think it is a fitting title since it is, in fact, about both boys.


End file.
